Worcester firefighter accused of threats and gun violations

Thursday

Jan 10, 2013 at 6:00 AMJan 10, 2013 at 10:01 AM

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

A probationary city firefighter accused of threatening his estranged wife and having a dozen guns — including military-style assault rifles — in his home was ordered held without bail Wednesday in Central District Court.

He does not have a firearm identification card, police said.

The father of Jonathan Peters, 29, of Indiana Street, said his son is a U.S. Army veteran and the weapons were part of a collection.

“He is a military buff,” said Firefighter Peters’ father, who declined to give his name. “He loves military hardware. It’s blown out of proportion really.”

Firefighter Peters’ estranged wife apparently had a gun license for the weapons, but does not live with her husband anymore, according to Firefighter Peters’ father.

“It is my understanding that both he and his wife were collectors,” Firefighter Peters’ lawyer, Anthony M. Salerno, said. “The social consciousness now with weapons, especially anything in excess of a sporting weapon, is going to trigger this type of reaction. These weapons were all in the confines of his home. He wasn’t doing anything unusual with them.”

Firefighter Peters’ father said his son had no malicious intent, and the guns were registered in Georgia by his son. The mistake was that his son did not have a firearm identification card here, he said.

Fire officials said Firefighter Peters’ arrest is still being reviewed and a decision on his employment status has not yet been determined. A dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Firefighter Peters was arrested at the city’s McKeon Road Fire Station Tuesday afternoon as his shift came to an end. He joined the Worcester Fire Department in June.

Firefighter Peters’ arrest came after a police investigation of a domestic stalking allegation.

His estranged wife told police her husband had firearms in his home.

Authorities said Firefighter Peters did not cooperate with police when he was ordered to turn in his firearms after his wife received an abuse prevention order in Central District Court on Tuesday.

Police with a warrant searched Firefighter Peters’ home and found six rifles, four handguns, one shotgun, one sawed-off shotgun and a dozen high capacity magazines and ammunition, police said.

“Prior to the search of the dwelling, police learned that Jonathan Peters does not have a license to carry firearms in the state of Massachusetts nor does he have a valid FID card,” police said in a news release.

The estranged wife sought and received an abuse prevention order, claiming Firefighter Peters threatened to kill her and continually followed her, according to court records.

She told police the couple has been married for six years, and said on a couple of occasions this month Firefighter Peters had followed her around and yelled at her.

“Another day, he began sending threatening text messages,” police said in court records.

The estranged wife said her husband’s behavior has caused her emotional distress and fear. She said Firefighter Peters threatened to kill her when she mentioned obtaining an abuse prevention order, according to court records.

Firefighter Peters has been charged with stalking, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, and multiple counts of possession of firearms and ammunition without an FID card, improper storage of a firearm and possession of a large-capacity weapon or feeding device. Police said additional charges are pending.

Police said that some of the seized weapons were loaded and some of them were not secured with gun locks.

Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said if Firefighter Peters was collecting the weapons, he should have taken the proper steps to obtain licenses and an FID card.